Quilts at Historic Moyle Park
A few weeks before school started, we took a tour of Historic Moyle Park in our hometown of Alpine. The park is full of old farming equipment and one room log homes that were moved to the property. There’s even a fortified tower that the Moyle’s built in case of an Indian attack. But the highlight of the park is the home built by John Moyle, an early Utah Mormon pioneer and stonemason who worked on the Salt Lake Temple.
Early every Monday morning he walked 22 miles to downtown Salt Lake City to work on the Temple and then walked 22 miles home on Friday after a hard week’s work. On Saturday he worked all day on his farm. Then one day he was kicked in the leg while milking a cow. His leg was badly broken and was amputated. Once he learned to walk again on the wooden leg he made for himself, he resumed making the 22 mile trek to Salt Lake City each week. He carved the plaque on the Temple that says, “Holiness to the Lord.”
The Moyle home is a wonderful, sturdy stone home, but what I like best about it is the quilts… Most of the quilts looked to me to be from 30’s to 50’s but none are labelled so I couldn’t be sure.
This is the quilt on the frame above. The applique flowers are so sweet. I love that some of the petals are polka dot fabric. My guess is this quilt is from the 40’s.
In the same room as the quilt frame is this old treadle Singer sewing machine. It reminded me of the stories of my great grandmother, who had 17 children. She would make her kids sit under the machine and push the treadle while she sewed clothes for all of them, since her leg would get so tired.
I loved the way this block has a different colored solid with the prints. The colors are wonderful. Does anyone know the name of this block? Is it ocean waves?
This pansy applique is wonderful. It looks like one strand of black embroidery floss for the applique. Did she choose that color or did she have to make it do? Either way it is lovely. The quilting is fun too. This looks more 50’s to me…
This quilt was laid over a bench, so I could get a great shot of it. But again, I love the different solids paired with the prints. The colors in this quilt are an inspiration.
I swooned over this double wedding ring. The fabrics look feedsack. It’s fabulous in the room with white walls and red sheets.
Seeing the old quilts makes me want to do nothing but quilt today.
In my dreams.
Thank you for sharing, what a great adventure. The quilts are so simple.
What a story! I can’t imagine walking that far every day, and then working physically on the Temple, too. We are the recipients of such dedication.
Thanks for sharing.
Walking 22 miles each way on a wooden leg, I feel like such a slacker!
I have quilt blocks that my great grandmother and her sisters made back in the 30’s that are also feedsack. They are also appliqued with black thread, that must have been the style?
You’re from Alpine – as in Utah? I’m from Highland. Small world. :-)